Cisco Enterprise Routers vs MikroTik Cloud Router Switch comparison

Cisco and MikroTik are both solutions in the Routers category. Cisco is ranked #2 with an average rating of 8.3, while MikroTik is ranked #4 with an average rating of 7.9. Cisco holds a 15.8% mindshare in R, compared to MikroTik’s 7.5% mindshare. Additionally, 97% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 96% of MikroTik users who would recommend it.

Cisco Enterprise Routers

Read 111 Cisco Enterprise Routers reviews

2,671 Views
2,591 Comparison Views

97% willing to recommend

MikroTik Cloud Router Switch

Read 25 MikroTik Cloud Router Switch reviews

2,089 Views
773 Comparison Views

96% willing to recommend

Cisco Enterprise Routers

MikroTik Cloud Router Switch

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Download the report

Executive SummaryUpdated on Jun 29, 2025

Cisco Enterprise Routers and MikroTik Cloud Router Switch compete in the enterprise network hardware category, with Cisco having an advantage in robustness and feature set, while MikroTik stands out for affordability and ease of use.

Features: Cisco Enterprise Routers are equipped with high-performance WAN services, robust IPsec capabilities, and advanced features for large-scale network management. MikroTik Cloud Router Switches, in contrast, offer flexible VLAN handling, user-friendly interfaces, and a competitive pricing model, targeted at small to medium-sized businesses.

Room for Improvement: Cisco could improve affordability and ease of use by revising its pricing structure and simplifying configurations, particularly for WAN integration. MikroTik needs to improve security features to align with enterprise standards and enhance technical support and hardware capabilities for better market positioning.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco offers a variety of deployment options including on-premises and hybrid cloud solutions, backed by comprehensive documentation and technical support, although some users report inconsistencies. MikroTik offers simpler deployment with an emphasis on affordability, though their customer service, while regarded positively, is not as comprehensive as Cisco's.

Pricing and ROI: Cisco routers come at a premium price but provide significant ROI, especially for large enterprises focusing on performance and security. Conversely, MikroTik offers tremendous value with lower initial costs and simple licensing, appealing to budget-conscious small businesses.

To learn more, read our detailed Cisco Enterprise Routers vs. MikroTik Cloud Router Switch Report (Updated: February 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Enterprise Routers vs. MikroTik Cloud Router Switch

February 2026

Download the complete report

Helped 881,757 peers since 2012

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Cisco Enterprise Routers

Ranking in Routers

2nd

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.0

Number of Reviews

111

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

MikroTik Cloud Router Switch

Ranking in Routers

4th

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

6.3

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Ethernet Switches (16th)

Mindshare comparison

As of February 2026, in the Routers category, the mindshare of Cisco Enterprise Routers is 15.8%, down from 22.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of MikroTik Cloud Router Switch is 7.5%, up from 7.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Routers Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Cisco Enterprise Routers	15.8%
MikroTik Cloud Router Switch	7.5%
Other	76.7%

Routers

Featured Reviews

reviewer2759889

Pre-Sales Technical Specialist at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees

Has supported robust enterprise deployments and management while pricing and market reach for advanced features need attention

I'm not sure what improvements could be made on the configuration scale since I'm not involved in complete configuration. Currently, it works effectively and they are incorporating AI adoption. Commercially and financially, the pricing is too high. Customers feel that Cisco Enterprise Routers will not offer the most competitive prices. If they can work on pricing, it would be easier for customers who are considering local products. In India, the government has implemented the Make in India initiative, and Cisco has established a manufacturing unit there. Regarding security products, they need to improve market reach, marketing, and training. While Cisco Enterprise Routers are user-friendly for network and wireless platforms, security product configuration and integration are considered complex compared to FortiGate, Check Point, Sophos, and Palo Alto. They have introduced solutions such as Cloud Defense Orchestrator and Firewall Manager (FMC), but the reach of Cisco security products in India needs improvement.

Read full review

Andriejus Artamonovas

IT Specialist at a outsourcing company with 501-1,000 employees

Has supported deeper configuration through traffic mirroring and advanced VLAN setup

The main reason why MikroTik Cloud Router Switch is usually chosen is its raw performance to price ratio. In comparison to UniFi switches, MikroTik Cloud Router Switch can mirror all ports for traffic inspection for further traffic analysis, which UniFi cannot do. VLANs in MikroTik Cloud Router Switch are always useful. The way MikroTik implements VLAN-aware switching at the bridge level is hidden in the configuration. Making CRS work as a simple VLAN-aware switch requires deeper configuration, which is not intuitive. VLANs support individual interfaces not part of the bridge, allowing for double VLANing. You can create a VLAN interface in the interfaces context and also create a bridge interface, add physical ports, create VLANs for that bridge interface, and assign tagged and untagged ports and VLANs. Load balancing is one of the key components. The feature itself is quite efficient and works reliably on MikroTik Cloud Router Switch. The very basic setup is one of my favorites because they have their protocol where I can connect through the MAC address right on Layer 2, and I don't lose connectivity to the switch if I mess up with bridging or IP addressing.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"The support is very perfect and they are very helpful."

"The main reason for using Cisco Routers is for the proprietor routing protocol that it has."

"It's a very helpful machine and has helped me increase my performance in the network."

"The feature that I have found most valuable is its ability to implement layer three protocols and layer two protocols like OSPS in BSS and BSC environments, with the Nexus Cisco 7000."

"The features of Cisco Enterprise Routers that I find most useful for my networking are the enterprise routing capabilities."

"They offer a variety of very good features."

"The quality is good. Cisco Enterprise Routers are stable and more reliable."

"It is easy to use and is very solid."

More Cisco Enterprise Routers pros

"The main reason why MikroTik Cloud Router Switch is usually chosen is its raw performance to price ratio."

"The most valuable feature is that it has better throughput than its competitors."

"Regarding security and visibility in monitoring, it is very good, the GUI is very intuitive, and it has many more features than those from major vendors."

"A valuable aspect is its user-friendly configuration, making it accessible even for individuals with basic technical knowledge."

"The GUI is easy to use."

"The traffic monitoring capabilities are excellent."

"The router power is the most valuable aspect."

"It is easy to set up the solution."

More MikroTik Cloud Router Switch pros

Cons

"The configuration needs improvement. Most routers, like HP or Aruba, use a UI interface. Those solutions are similar and uniform. It's easier for us compared to Cisco because with Cisco you are not using normal commands. They need to enhance the UI to make it more usable."

"Cisco has acquired other companies, and due to this, there are many API-based integrations. There should be one platform that will enable a smooth integration. For example, Cisco acquired ThousandEyes, AppDynamics and Viptela. These are ideal solutions for big companies in terms of WAN connectivity. Cisco needs to ensure that there is a smooth integration mechanism in order to ease this process or point of integration."

"The automation capabilities need improvement."

"Tends to have a short life cycle."

"Many things about this solution are problematic including setup, configuration, performance, upgrades and support."

"The UI could be more user-friendly."

"The only complaint from customers about Cisco is price-wise; they tend to be on the higher side compared to some competition, making it hard to compete in today's market."

"While the commands are easy to understand, and you will find a mixture, if you put a question mark on them then it will create problems."

More Cisco Enterprise Routers cons

"MikroTik Cloud Router Switch needs improvement in the area of security, although the recent models are addressing this."

"Technical support could be better."

"While some customers use MikroTik Cloud Router Switch as a firewall, it's not at an industry-level, though the basic features are adequate for many users who prefer it over purchasing other reputed firewall solutions."

"Simplifying the documentation would be a good idea."

"It would be even better with a centralized management platform."

"Most of the time, the MikroTik Cloud Router Switch is stable. If I were to rate the stability on a scale of 1 to 10 where 10 is the best, I would give it a 5."

"It happens that you may find your network is down, if you reboot the switch, they come up. However, sometimes, they reset themselves. That's a big issue."

"Stuff that I'd like to be improved is really just training and documentation because I think the feature set is full. Another improvement I'd suggest is that their new, bigger releases should be a bit more stable."

More MikroTik Cloud Router Switch cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It's expensive and the pricing could be improved."

"Cisco Enterprise Routers are not the cheapest routers on the market, they are expensive."

"Cisco is way too expensive for small and medium businesses. They must lower their prices in the lower range equipment."

"Cisco routers are an expensive product."

"The cost of this solution is very low compared to other products."

"Cisco is more expensive than other architecture solutions."

"Cisco is mid-tier in terms of pricing and quite affordable by most enterprises."

"There is a license required for the use of this solution."

More Cisco Enterprise Routers pricing and cost advice

"I believe the price of the tool is high, but it is okay for the services we get from it."

"The licensing for MikroTik is great. It's easy to enter, especially for small businesses. Their model is great."

"In Pakistan, if you buy this cloud router, it's approximately $700 for the device."

"The price is competitive."

"MikroTik is really cheap compared to the competitors."

"The price of the solution is fair and there is a one-time license purchase only."

"I consider it to be a cost-effective solution."

"They came with the licensing when we purchased them."

More MikroTik Cloud Router Switch pricing and cost advice

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Routers solutions are best for your needs.

See recommendations

881,757 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Marketing Services Firm

13%

Computer Software Company

Manufacturing Company

Performing Arts

Comms Service Provider

13%

Educational Organization

13%

Marketing Services Firm

Computer Software Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	46
Midsize Enterprise	24
Large Enterprise	44

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	19
Midsize Enterprise	5
Large Enterprise	2

Questions from the Community

How do Cisco Enterprise routers compare with Mikrotik routers and switches?

Cisco Enterprise Routers are very stable and easy to use. They offer a very solid performance and are very secure. They also have a very good, long lifespan. We feel the command configuration is ve...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco Enterprise Routers?

It is expensive, but I am not the person purchasing the products; I just handle the configuration.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Cisco Enterprise Routers?

The software cannot be updated usually. The price is very high here in Egypt. Cisco devices are the most expensive. The AI technology must be included in the future to make it even better. They nee...

See all answers

What do you like most about MikroTik Cloud Router Switch?

The tool has impacted our company's network costs and productivity in a perfect manner and percentage-wise, I can say it is 120 percent.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for MikroTik Cloud Router Switch?

The Python solution pricing is on the lower side.

See all answers

What needs improvement with MikroTik Cloud Router Switch?

It can be difficult to identify key functions for MikroTik Cloud Router Switch. I experience functionality limitations, particularly when trying to find specific features. It would be beneficial to...

See all answers

Comparisons

MikroTik Routers and Switches vs Cisco Enterprise Routers

Compared 38% of the time

Huawei Enterprise Routers vs Cisco Enterprise Routers

Compared 18% of the time

HPE Enterprise Routers vs Cisco Enterprise Routers

Compared 12% of the time

Juniper MX Series Routers vs Cisco Enterprise Routers

Compared 10% of the time

ADTRAN NetVanta Routers and Switches vs Cisco Enterprise Routers

Compared 3% of the time

More Cisco Enterprise Routers Competitors

TP-Link Omada Switches vs MikroTik Cloud Router Switch

Compared 16% of the time

MikroTik Routers and Switches vs MikroTik Cloud Router Switch

Compared 10% of the time

Huawei Enterprise Routers vs MikroTik Cloud Router Switch

Compared 5% of the time

Aruba Switches vs MikroTik Cloud Router Switch

Compared 5% of the time

NETGEAR Switches vs MikroTik Cloud Router Switch

Compared 3% of the time

More MikroTik Cloud Router Switch Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Enterprise Routers

February 2026

Download Cisco Enterprise Routers product report

Buyer's Guide

MikroTik Cloud Router Switch

January 2026

Download MikroTik Cloud Router Switch product report

Also Known As

No data available

MikroTik CRS Series

Overview

The high-performance Cisco Enterprise Routers are the market leader due to their breadth of advanced support for LAN/WAN services, redundancy, reliability, and performance.

Cisco

MikroTik Cloud Router Switch is a new Smart Switch series. It combines the best features of a fully functional router and a Layer 3 switch, is powered by the familiar RouterOS. All the specific Switch configuration options are available in a special Switch menu, also ports can be removed from the switch configuration, and used for routing purposes.

MikroTik

Sample Customers

Aegean Motorway, Boingo, Chartwell School, Children's Hospital of Orange County , Department of Justice, Explorer Pipeline, Linz AG, National Rugby League, New South Wales Rural Fire Service, Telecom Italia, Transwestern

Information Not Available

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Enterprise Routers vs. MikroTik Cloud Router Switch

February 2026

Free Report: Cisco Enterprise Routers vs. MikroTik Cloud Router Switch

Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Enterprise Routers vs. MikroTik Cloud Router Switch and other solutions. Updated: February 2026.

DOWNLOAD NOW

881,757 professionals have used our research since 2012.

See our Cisco Enterprise Routers vs. MikroTik Cloud Router Switch report.

See our list of best Routers vendors.

We monitor all Routers reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.